Gary was thinking back to when he first met Jayden. All of his impressions of him were good. He had helped Gary when he was practically a stranger, bringing him off the street.
Then, when he learned about his close relationship with Xin, he didn’t try to get in the way. If anything, he had encouraged Gary even more to work harder than he did before.
The relationship was as if he truly had an older brother, and Gary felt like he could always learn from Jayden. However, it was only later that Gary started to realize that Jayden might also have his own problems.
The day he came to the special lesson at the AFA academy. After fighting against him, and losing the fight relatively easily along with his fellow students, he had met him secretly after.
That was the first time it felt like Jayden was calling for help. Saying that when Gary was strong enough, maybe then he could do something for him.
The Gary from back at the academy and the Gary now were two completely different people, at least in terms of strength, so if Jayden asked for his help now, he was sure to give it, but the roots of Jayden’s problems perhaps ran very deep as he was learning.
Xin also was worried for her brother and had been trying to get in contact with him, to meet up with him. It seemed impossible. She had asked others if they knew what was going on, yet it was a lost cause.
For the time being, Xin was staying in the city of Slough as she waited to find out more, and she believed her father might know more as well.
Looking at his phone, he looked at the matchup again.
‘Jayden’s strength had to have improved in the year and a half since we met as well. He went from top fifty to top 25, and because of a number of situations, he’s now able to go against the rank 1.’
‘What happens if he wins and he becomes AFC Champion! Damn, that would be kinda cool to know the champion.’ Gary thought and started daydreaming.
Maybe this was what Jayden wanted help with, a partner to train. There were times when other family members didn’t understand one's desires and goals and were just unsupportive, and knowing who Jayden’s father was, Gary could understand from that point of view.
‘Maybe we could try and use our connections at the Howlers. Crowley was a teacher there; he might know someone in the AFA that’s linked to the AFC to get in contact with them.’
‘Or maybe one of the new contract signups at AJ Entertainment can get in contact with him. Jayden should have some type of agent, right?’ Gary thought.
He was also starting to think, now being one of the Kings, it was handy to do things with all of these connections that one had on hand.
While thinking of all of this, Tom had already left to look at the facilities that had been handed to him, and that was when Gary felt his phone vibrating in his hand.
As for the name that came up, it was one that he wasn’t quite expecting.
‘Elijah… well, I guess it’s good to know he’s calling me,’ Gary thought.
Answering the phone, Gary was a little nervous. He had heard through his news sources that something was happening at White Rose after the events revolving around him.
Thankfully, all of Gary’s charges were dropped, including that of him escaping, but that wasn’t news released to the public.
According to them, once White Rose found out that they had made a mistake, they had released Gary.
At first, he thought of arguing and fighting back against the truth. They had a mighty powerful tool in AJ Streaming Services to communicate with everyone in the outside world. The platform had become extremely popular after streaming the events of Slough.
However, Kai and their lawyers had stated it was better for them to just take this win. There were a lot of wrongdoings that Gary had done during his breakout.
“Hey, I’m glad you answered,” Elijah said. “And sorry it’s been a long time since I contacted you, I wanted to earlier, but things have been crazy over here.”
“Don’t worry, it goes both ways. We’ve been pretty busy in Slough as well, but things have started to calm down a little. So what’s been happening over there, with White Rose?”
Elijah went on to explain how White Rose had been going through an internal investigation. They were rooting out all of those that had worked with the Phoenix Gang, and every single one of them was being removed from their position of power.
It was made quite public by the superintendent of the White Rose organization. Doing this was a deterrent for anyone working with gangs in the future.
At the same time, an announcement was made that the White Rose would be further cracking down on gangs in cities, clearing any wrongdoings a bit at a time.
It felt like a large reform had occurred within the White Rose organization.
“Actually, do you remember Sadie, Frank, and Kanu, the three that helped you out? They’ve changed departments now. They’re part of the superintendent’s team, so they will be dealing with internal affairs within White Rose.”
“Essentially, Kanu got a promotion for what he had done.”
Hearing those names, it did remind Gary. He never figured out why they had helped him. He understood Elijah, but everyone else made next to no sense.
“Actually, there’s something else as well,” Elijah said. “The reason I called you might be perfect timing. You said you weren’t so busy, right? Do you mind coming here again? Kanu wants to meet you; he said there’s something he wants to talk about.”
“Talk about, with a White Rose agent, and back to that place?” Gary repeated as he wasn’t so sure.
“Yeah, he said you might act like this. He said, it’s about Jayden.”